CHINA -- Thadius Barber isn't surprised or concerned about the Planning Board's approval of a new Hannaford Supermarket near his businesses.

Barber owns The Market and Deli, Fieldstone Quick Stop and Tobey's Market, all on Route 3 not far from the Hannaford site. The first two are west of South China Village, the third east of the village.

Hannaford's 36,000-square-foot supermarket will be on Windsor Road just south of Route 3 and the village.

Asked if the competition worries him, he replied, "I think I'm going to be fine. The pie will be bigger out here for all of us. I think I'm a good complement to them."

Some of the half-dozen residents at Tuesday's meeting spoke positively of the Hannaford approval. Joyce Goodine said she and her husband, Sheldon, were very pleased and hoped no one will appeal the decision. Planners approved written findings of fact showing how Hannaford's project met each of 14 criteria in the town ordinance. They ruled a 15th criterion was not applicable because the development is not in any of three listed protection districts.

Approval came with numerous conditions, all discussed previously in the six-month-long review and all accepted by Hannaford representatives Tuesday evening.

One of them is that Hannaford must do a preconstruction traffic study in South China Village to provide a baseline for a post-construction study, to be done within a year after the store opens.

With approval from the roads commissioner and committee, selectmen and, if applicable Maine DOT, changes will be made to discourage motorists from going through the village to avoid the new traffic light at Route 3 and Windsor Road.

Hannaford is to establish a $20,000 escrow account to pay for additional work if the later study shows unwelcome changes in traffic that appear to be caused by the new store.

Hannaford representative Mitchell Feeney said the company is awaiting a permit from the state Department of Environmental Protection before setting a date to begin work. At an earlier meeting, Feeney and colleague Douglas Boyce told planners construction is expected to take almost a year.